With the economy on the mend, this year is turning out to be a better one for college students hoping to trade their backpacks for briefcases.

Career counselors at local universities report that recruiters are making repeat visits to campus because of strong hiring demand, they're running out of interviewing space, and their graduates are getting bigger and better salary offers.

Jitendra Bhakta is hoping that some of that good fortune will rub off on him.

Bhakta, who began his job search in January, is graduating next month with a bachelor's degree in aviation science and technology from Texas Southern University. He has already applied for several openings, including a supervisory position in ground transportation and another in operations management with local airport facilities.

It's a long application process, said Bhakta, who is hoping he can launch his career with an annual salary of at least $40,000.

Luckily, Bhakta, who was making the rounds at a job fair this week sponsored by Texas Southern University, has experience in operations management, baggage handling and ramp operations, a plus that will give him a head start in the sometimes tough but improving job market.

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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported the unemployment rate for recent college graduates was 7.9 percent for men and 6.5 percent for women. The numbers, from October, include the unemployment rate for those 24 years of age or younger who have a bachelor's degree or higher.

By way of comparison, the overall unemployment rate was 7 percent in October.

While it may be difficult for some students to land their first big job, the class of 2014 has it better than the students who graduated a year ago, according to college placement officers who report an increase in on-campus interviews and higher starting salaries. And it's even more robust for students in highly sought-after fields such as engineering, computer science and supply chain management.

Belinne has seen an unexpected surge of hiring this spring from recruiters who are making repeat trips to campus because they need more graduates than they initially expected.

All the salary data isn't in yet, but starting offers appear to be higher than they were a year ago, Belinne said. Last year, the average starting salary for an undergraduate business student at the University of Houston was $52,000; this year, she's anticipating it will come in closer to $55,000.

And for some majors it's really competitive, she said. Graduates in management information systems and supply chain management are getting starting offers in the neighborhood of $70,000.

Companies plan to hire 8.6 percent more graduates this year than they did in 2013, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers. The group, which measures the supply and demand of employment opportunities for college graduates, surveyed 161 employers this spring.

Average starting salaries are up 1.2 percent this year, according to the association, which combines the results of an employer survey of accepted job offers with data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average overall is $45,473 this year, with engineering, computer science, business and the health sciences offering the highest starting pay.